Image Credit: West Midlands Police
Nigerian pastor and wife sentenced to decades in UK jail for sexually abusing victims through "spiritual bathing" ruse.
In a shocking case that has shaken the religious community, Nigerian pastor Michael Oluronbi and his wife Juliana have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms in the UK for a series of heinous sexual offenses. Oluronbi was found guilty of multiple rapes and sexual assaults against six women and a man over 20 years, under the guise of "spiritual bathing" to cleanse them of evil spirits.
Oluronbi, linked to the Cherubim and Seraphim Church with roots in Nigeria, was sentenced to 34 years in prison for his crimes, which included 15 counts of rape, seven counts of indecent assault, and two counts of sexual assault, totaling at least 88 separate instances of rape. The Birmingham Crown Court heard harrowing details of how some of his victims became pregnant multiple times, and Oluronbi would arrange for abortions to cover up the abuse.
Oluronbi's wife, Juliana, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for her role in aiding and abetting the rapes, as she assisted in arranging the abortions for the victims. Both defendants will be required to sign the sex offenders' register for life.
The judge condemned Oluronbi's "arrogant, selfish, and vain" behavior, stating that his offenses were among the worst cases of sexual abuse of multiple children to come before the courts. When confronted, Oluronbi responded, "The devil made me do it."
